Mom Heart Moments #41

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.

ONE AFTERNOON, I stood in the kitchen with one of my children while they brewed a cup of tea. As we stood there, this child suddenly said, “You know, a lot of our friends act like God makes them unhappy and sour.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well, they always have a stern look on their faces, and say no a lot, and look like having fun is against the rules. But in our house, God is the one who made chili peppers for fajitas and Celtic music to dance to and stars to sleep out under on our porch. Our God is big and fun and good and interesting and loving and true. I like that kind of a God better than their kind.” What a stunning and wise statement! I have observed again and again over the years how true this reflection is.

All children will balk at instruction and training; it’s part of what strengthens their muscles! And yet maturity and growth comes for them, just as it does for us, as they learn to yield themselves to God’s truths.

I’ve found that a yummy treat helps a young child stay quiet in their room each afternoon with less angst, calms a frazzled teen, and even softens the lines on my husband’s worried brow. And offering one to myself does a lot of good too! Walking in a nearby park or taking a drive through the mountains resets our minds and reminds us even our most difficult situations are small beside God’s majesty. All of us enjoy life more when we remember that our creative, beauty-loving God has given us much to enjoy.

Would your own children describe your teaching as a garland around their neck? There is so much grace to be experienced in Christ —and shared!